


Sink or Swim

by CaptainDemetrios



Series: Lead Balloon Squad (Clone Trooper Ocs) [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Abuse, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Lead Balloon Squad, Ol'Zabek is a dickface, and Knight has ptsd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 04:51:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9219650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainDemetrios/pseuds/CaptainDemetrios
Summary: Knight freezes on the battlefield, so General Ol'zabek tries to help with his fear of water.





	

“What the kriff, Knight?! You were given an order!” Brick snapped. 

 

Knight didn’t answer. He stared at a spot past Brick’s head, looking numb. He knew he disobeyed orders. Worse, he knew by doing so he had put his brothers in danger. While his brothers ran ahead to face the droid army, Knight had stayed frozen. He wouldn’t run towards the water, not even to shoot up advancing droids.

 

“We aren’t foot soldiers, we’re pilots!” Drake defended “We aren’t trained for--”

 

“We are trained!” Brick interrupted. “We’re ready for anything!”

 

Drake looked ready to place himself between Brick and Knight, but he didn’t have to. They all knew why Knight hadn’t- couldn’t have- moved. 

 

Silence fell instantly as the medbay door slid open, and General Ol’zabek walked in. 

 

“What happened out there, gentlemen?” He asked, voice deceptively even and soft, hands held behind his back. The clones glanced at each other, at Knight, at Brick, then one by one turned their gaze to the ground. Except for Brick, who stayed firmly between the general and Knight- whose shoulders had gone stiff, as if bracing himself.

 

“There was a trap.” Brick said. “Knight’s leg got caught, he couldn’t advance with us.” 

 

The general tsked and stepped forward.

 

“Don’t lie to me, Brick.”

 

Brick’s eyes moved down too.

 

The general walked around Knight, looking him up and down disapprovingly. Knight stood stiffly at attention, hands clenched tight.

 

“Do not try to hide your feelings from me, soldier.” The general said, lifting a hand, pushing through Knight’s mind with the force. “Do not try to lie. Open yourself to me so that I may help you.”

 

Knight swallowed roughly as he felt the push against his mind. Instantly, the memory of the previous fight came to his mind. While his brothers stormed ahead, wading into waist deep water to meet battle droids and water tanks, he couldn’t get his legs to move. 

 

The general pushed again, and Knight remembered Slug. He remembered diving in after him, not being able to swim fast enough to grab his brother as he sank to the ocean floor. And then he remembered his own crash, and nearly sinking to the floor himself.

 

The general pulled out the truth--

 

“You fear the water.” He said, tsking again. He was disappointed. “Pathetic, for a clone trooper.”

 

Brick’s fist clenched.

 

The general walked to the medbay’s sink and turned it on with a wave of the hand. It started to fill.

 

“It is unseemingly for a clone to fear anything.” The general said, voice staying even and light, but growing a dangerous undertone. “Especially something so simple, and to allow that fear to prevent you from following orders?”

 

He shook his head

 

“We can’t have that. We will have to get you over this fear.” 

 

Before any of the clones could say anything- whether to protest or agree, or offer any kind of solution- Knight was pulled forward by the force, and the general grabbed him by the hair and forced his head into the sink.

 

Under water.

 

Knight tried to push out of the sink, hands banging on the counter. The clones stared, too shocked- perhaps even terrified- to move. 

 

“The best way to get over fear is exposure.” The general said, voice raised to be heard over Knight’s struggling. “You’ll think of this next time you consider disobeying orders.” 

 

“Stop!” Brick found his voice and grabbed the general’s arm. Ol’zabek jerked Brick off- but his concentration broke enough that Knight could lift his head from the water. Knight gasped and coughed, and- though no one but his squad would be able to tell- he, trembled. Ol’zabek turned to Brick in rage, and Brick quickly took a step back.

 

“Enough.” Brick said, voice unwavering. “He’s learned his lesson, he won’t disobey again. He’ll handle the water.”   
  
“You do not give me orders, clone.” Ol’zabek snapped. “I will discipline my wards as I see fit.”

 

“You’ll kill him!” Ryder spoke up too, and Eddi had to hold him back from advancing on the general. Ol’zabek ignored him and forced Knight’s head back into the water before he could take a full breath. 

 

“Clones have been altered to be able to hold their breath for much longer than humans, haven’t they?” He mused. “Let’s find out how long, exactly. How long will it take to conquer this fear?”

 

“Stop!” Cane shouted too. “Let him go, stop!”

 

Brick grabbed the general’s arm again. This time he was met with a force shove and a snarl. Drake caught him and helped him back up.

 

“Stop, please.” Brick said, voice just barely keeping control. “Punish me. I’m his commanding officer, if he disobeyed it’s because of my failure, not his!”

 

The room went silent again as Knight was allowed to breath. Ol’zabek let go of him, and Knight sank to the floor, coughing and sputtering.

 

No one moved, though every brother longed to be at Knight’s side. 

  
Everyone was watching Brick.

 

And Brick was meeting Ol’zabek’s gaze. 

 

The general nodded and gestured for Brick to follow him out of the room, and he did.

 

Ryder went to Knight’s side as the medbay doors slid shut. 

  
“You’re alright, keep coughing…” He muttered.

 

Besides that, no one spoke. 

**Author's Note:**

> I will take your tears now. Don't forget to comment!


End file.
